Without Johnny?
by KelticDream13
Summary: Johnny is dying after a gunfight, is there is anything that can save him?


Without Johnny?  
  
Scott stood in the mud, pulling on a steer, who bawled at him, as tried to pull away. Johnny was on the other end of the animal, pushing. Twice he had his foot stepped on by the steer, good thing they were in the mud or he would have had a broken foot. Both men were covered in mud.  
You know we could be here another hour, this stupid animal must like this mudhole.  
I agree, Scott, tell you what, how about we just tie the steer, and we can let the horses pull him out. If he gets hurt,we can have him for dinner tonight, and tomorrow and ...  
Yeah, maybe we could make him into boots. The steer turned and gave Scott a nasty look, and drooled on his arm.All right that does it, you are dinner. Johnny laughed, just as the steer, moved and kicked Johnny, knocking him down in the mud. Now Scott laughed. Johnny got up, and drew his gun.   
Now, now brother, at least wait till we get him home, we cant carry him.  
All right, but then I shoot him.  
Murdock heard the shot and came out running, expecting trouble. Instead he found his sons. They stood over the now dead steer. He walked over and looked at the animal. Then at his two sons.  
I dont remember asking you to get a new steer, dont we still have plenty of meat, in the store room?  
We could use more, thinking of a barbeque, Murdock. This steer volunteered for duty. Replied Scott.  
Oh, he did now?  
Sure did, he didnt wont us to go hungry. Said Johnny. Murdock thought his two sons had been out in the sun too long today without their hats.   
Come on inside, and cool off, and have something cold to drink. You look a little tired, take the rest of the day off.  
Both men had taken baths and were sitting in the sitting room, drinking cold lemonaid. Murdock was sitting at his desk, still eyeing his boys. Both boys grinned, that sure was easy. Scott winked at Johnny.  
You know Johnny we did so well with the work this morning, maybe we should move on to the horses.  
Good idea Scott, lets go.They started to rise. Murdock stood,shaking his head.  
Oh I think you can skip that for today, you two just take it easy. Some of the hands will take care of them. More cold lemonaid?  
Both men had a hard time keeping a straight face. Murdock waited till they sat down before he did also. He seemed lost in thought for a moment before he smiled.  
Tell you what boys, how about you going in to town, you deserve it.  
Well I dont know Murdock, we have a lot of work around here. You said work first.  
I know Scott but really, youre young. You need to let off a little steam once in a while. You boys go and have fun.Both men headed out the door, smiles on their faces.  
It was a hot day, when the two brothers rode into town. Neither thought they would have to hurry. Murdock wouldnt care, he had given them the day off. Of course they had chosen to spend it together.  
Stopping in front of the saloon, the sounds of merriment were already in progress. The brothers were thinking of something cold to drink. Scott was thinking of ice cold beer, and Johnny had his heart set on a cold beer too, but after that it was tequila, and lime.   
Entering the saloon, and the relative darkness, Johnny searched the room, with his sharp eyes, Scott headed to the bar. Where Dan the bartender awaited, them with a smile. He was getting a couple of cold beers with heads on them, for the boys.  
Thanks, Dan. Scott took a long draw of the cold liquid, and turned to see where his brother was. Johnny stood looking across the room, his stance one of readiness. Scott turned to look to where his brother was, and saw a tall, heavy set man, with a long handlebar mustache, standing , facing the swinging doors, and Johnny.  
The air became thick with tension, and the room grew quiet as the two men faced each other. Neither moved, just stared. Scott took a deep breath and looked at his brother, who stood like a grannit statue. His eyes were cold and hard, and his jaw tense.   
The two men made their move, and both drew. Both guns going off, almost at the same time. Scott watched the preceedings in slow motion. The guns firing, and heard the popping sounds. Then both men falling to the dusty floor. Scott froze for a moment before he moved. He turned and knelt by his brother. A bright red stain darkened his white shirt, as it pumped from the hole in Johnnyschest. Scott touched his brothers neck, and felt for a pulse with shaky hand. He found his brother still lived. He reached and opened Johnnys shirt. The bartender threw him a clean towel, which he used to try and stop the bleeding.   
Scott pushed down on the towel, and heard a soft moan come from his brothers' lips. The blood was soaking the towel, and he looked over at his brothers'face, seeing it beginning to pale. His hands trembled as he reached one hand out and touched his brothers cheek, and spoke, his words shaky and filled with the worry that over flowed.  
"Johnny, I'm right here little brother, hold on."  
Johnny lay quietly, not moving. More quiet than Scott had seen him, in a long time. He lay as though he were dead, already. Scott thought, as his eyes misted. He kept up the pressure, until a hand came down on his shoulder. He looked up into the gentle eyes of the doctor.   
"Doc, he's hurt bad, do something. He's bleeding to death."  
"Take it easy Scott, Johnny doesn't give up easily. Let me take a look."He pried Scotts' hand off the towel, and took a look at the wound. Scott watched, his hand worrying the handle on his gun. He turned and looked across the room at the man who lay on the floor, his head lay with blood on it, the unstaring eyes that were aimed in their direction. A chill went through Scott, as though the man had touched him.  
"Let's get your brother, over to my office, fast. I need a few more men to help carry." Several men came over to help. Scott watched as they lifted his brother up, and started for the door. Scott moved up beside them, he reached out and took his brothers hand in his, and squeezed, letting his brother know he was still there.  
Scott sat in the waiting room, as he waited the doctor. He had paced the floor, he had looked at all the pictures on the wall, and counted the stars in the sky, from the window. Now he sat, and waited. He heard the soft drumming sound, and looking down he saw, his own fingers drumming the chair arm. He stopped and smiled, at the habit, that was Johnnys alone. He hoped he would see Johnny do it again.  
The door opened and Murdock walked in, his hair was a mess, sticking up, and in all directions, his shirt buttons wrong. He stopped and looked at his oldest son, who came to his feet and moved over to his father.  
"How is he Scott?"  
"It's bad, he took a bullet in the chest. The doctor hasn't come out yet." Murdock reached up, and ran a hand through his hair again, and made his hair worse. He chewed on his lower lip, and stared at the closed door. Murdock began to pace.   
When the doctor came out several hours later, he saw both men pacing, and both men lost in their own thoughts. Scott held Johnnys' hat in his hands, he was wrapping the strings around his finger, over and over again as he walked.   
"I took the bullet out, and we just have to wait and see. He's in serious condition." Both men stopped and looked at him, taking in his words.   
"But Johnny will make it won't he?"  
"I can't promise you that Murdock, as Johnny really got a good one this time. Hes lucky he isn't dead already."  
"He's just too stubern to die, you know that Doc, he 's too fast to get caught by death."  
"He might have lost this one, death is pretty fast too, Scott. You must prepare for what may happen. I'll do all that I can."  
The words hung in the air, as family stood, listening but not wonting to hear. Murdock motioned to the door, and the doctor just nodded. Both men entered the room, and went over to the table in the middle of the room. Being quiet as though afraid of waking the man who lay there.   
Johnny lay on the table, covered with a white sheet and blanket. His usually tan face, almost as white as the sheet, his breathing slow and shallow. Murdock, stood watching his son, his heart skipping, he swollowed past the lump in his throat. I shouldn't have sent him into town. If he dies he will never know that I love him, I never have said it. I am always yelling at him, and he and I don't just sit and talk like Scott and I do. I am more English in that than Scottish. Too cold, afraid to show my feelings. Johnny sure doesn't have any problems doing that.  
Scott looked at his brother, touching his cool shoulder. "I'm here, brother. I won't leave you." He said softly. His thoughts were much as his fathers as he looked at his brother. I should have done something, I don't know what. But maybe we should have stayed home. He's safer there, if I hadn't been in such a hurry to have that beer. I wont lose my brother, I can't, he's also my best friend. I couldn't stay at Lancer without him,now. Oh Lord, hear me, please, don't take my brother, I love him so much, and don't won't to lose him.  
The night wore on, and Murdock was asleep in another room, the doctor had given him something, he looked like he was going to colapse. Scott sat in a chair by Johnnys'bed. He held his had, and watched him. The doctor was also asleep, and the quiet was almost audiable, in the night.  
Johnny began to burn with fever, and Scott got up, and wet a clothe in the cool water in the bowl by the bed, and wrung it out, and gently washed his brothers'face, and then cooled the clothe and put it on his forehead. His brother, began to mumble in his feverish dreams. Scott listened, learning more, about his brother.   
When the doctor came in just as the sun was rising, he found Scott, washing his brothers' face, and chest with the cool water. Talking softly to him, and the doctor smiled. Just what his patient needed, love and devotion of a big brother.  
Scott turned and looked around at the sound of the door opening. He stood up straight, and stretched his achy back. The doctor moved over to the bed. He looked down at his patient. He took his pulse, and listened to his heart. Then he undid the bandgages, and checked the wound, as Scott watched, through tired eyes.   
The doctor changed the bandages, and turned to Scott. He looked him over with a critical eye, shaking his head.  
"Scott, do I have to drug you like I did to Murdock, to make you rest?" Scott rubbed his hand over his rough chin.   
"I did nap, and I am not leaving him. He will leave if I do."  
"Scott , Thats not so, he doesn't leave if you do."  
"Yes, he will doc, I know it, and death isnt getting past me." The doctor just shook his head. He headed to the door, then turned.  
"I will bring you some coffee, and something to eat. "  
"Don't drug it doc, okay? Johnny needs me." The doctor just nodded in unders-tanding and left. Scott sat back down, and began to talk to his brother, hoping for a response, that didn't come.  
Murdock walked in as Scott nibbled on a piece of toast and drank his coffee. He had redone his shirt, and his hair was combed. He walked over to the bed, and stood. Scott nodded to his father from the other side.   
"He's going to make it Murdock, I know it. "  
"Scott, son. We can't be certain of that, Johnny Isn't getting any better. I don't won't to lose him either. I went over to the church this morning, lite a candle for him. I asked the padre to come, he will be here later."  
"No! You are giving up on him, he will know it, and leave." Murdock looked into his sons eyes, seeing the pain, and the deep sorrow there. Also that he believed what he had said. Murdock, hoped it would be true.   
"Scott, prayers might help, it can't hurt, can it?"  
"No last rights. He turned to his brother, and began to use the cool clothe to wipe his brothers' face. Murdock watched, and wished he was as close to his son, as his brother was.   
It was later that after noon after the padre had left, that two visitors came. Scott had seen them around town, they were new to the area. They ran the new mercantile store. The two sisters, were friends of Johnnys. One was redheaded, and one with black hair. Leah, and Alice.   
"Afternoon Leah, Alice, Johnny Isn't up to visitors today." The girls looked at him. Both smiled sadly at him. Both had small canvas bags with them.  
"Scott, we came to help him, we can if you let us. We care about him too."Said Alice.  
"That's right Scott, we can help. We have certain abilities, Johnny knows about these, and he would wont us to help if we could. Do you believe in witches and such?"  
"Leah, are you saying you two are witches? That's nonsense, no such things."  
"You don't need to believe yet, but you will. Johnny knows, and that is all that matters. Right sis?"  
"Right Alice. Now Scott give us a chance to help him. We aren't going to hurt him." Scott looked at both girls, he felt something, he couldn't figure out what, as he looked at both, their eyes on his. His eyes grew heavy, and he felt so tired, and yet he fought it. Yet he found himself slowly sinking into the chair, his eyes closing. He could hear the voices of the two sisters, from a long way off, but he couldn't get up, or move. He felt as though he were made of lead.  
"Well at least he won't bother us, now let's get on with this." Leah held her hand up, and showed the lock of hair she had just cut from Johnny head. It was a small lock. Alice took out a bowl, and some bottles. While Leah, took out some leaves and dry things from her bag.   
"We must hurry, they will all wake up in a hour, must be finished by then. Alice with a little of the liquid from one of the bottles she made symbols on his forehead and on his bandage, mumbling words as she did so.   
The two moved to the circle, and began the spells, both seemed to glow as they began to chant, and the bowl began to smoke and sounds filled the room. They held out their hands, almost touching, and inbetween a glowing sphere grew, changing colors. As the spell progressed, Johnny moaned on his bed, his eyes opened, and he looked at them. The sphere moved and rushed at Johnny, he hovered over him, then rushed into his body, breaking into many colored sparkles, Johnny sat up and then fell back.   
The girls smiled at each other, both tired. gathering their stuff, the looked over at the man on the bed. He would live now, and the cocky, fiesty, lovable gunfighter would live to get into other adventures. They slowly began to fade away, like a mist, until there were only the two brothers in the room.  
Scott awoke as if from a dream, he remembered only a vague dream. He looked at his brother, and touched his shoulder. At his touch, his brothers'blue eyes opened and looked at him. Scott smiled.  
"Welcome back little brother. Have a nice nap?"   
"No. Am I at the doctors again?"  
"Yep, again, you owe the doctor for services again."  
"I'm broke, and I am thirsty."  
"Well I guess I could pay the bill. I will get you a drink." He took the glass he had kept waitng and filled half full. He turned and Johnny was sitting up, no longer pale. He was beginning to look like his old self again. Johnny took the glass, and smiled.  
How was it possible? He had been near death an hour ago, and now he was... It didn't make sense. Didn't really matter, how it happended he guessed, he had his brother back.  
" Ah Johnny, who was that man, and why was he wonting to kill you?"  
"Simple really, we knew each other a long time ago. He always enjoyed killing. He killed for any reason, snoring, burping, looking at him too long. Just a bad apple, and he killed anyone, didn't matter, gun or not, man or woman. He once killed two innocent people on the street, cause they didn't get out of the way of his horse fast enough. A woman and a child. He left town before I caught him, I knew sooner or later we would meet again. "  
"I guess he deserved death, but he almost took you with him."  
"I know, never said he was slow, but most I met weren't. Scott would you get me my clothes?"  
"Clothes, Johnny you are in no shape to go anywhere. You are staying in bed. "  
"I am fine, Scott, quit worrying. I need to go somewhere, see a couple of girls I know."  
"Figures, it would be girls." Scott smiled at his brother. "But you aren't going anywhere."   
"The doctor will let me, where is he? Just as he said it the doctor appeared in the door, and stopped, shocked at what he saw.  
Couple of hours later, Johnny sat in a small kitchen with two girls, they were drinking coffee and talking. Johnny had come to thank them for the help.   
the end  
  



End file.
